Food insecurity is prevalent on college campuses, with the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimating that 23% of the 3.8 million college students nationwide experience it; the University of Oregon is not an outlier in these national statistics. However, student hunger has rarely been addressed in national conversations about higher education, even though its consequences harm the entire campus community. An article published from American Psychological Association analyzed studies that show food insecurity has been linked to ongoing academic distress, lower grade point averages, and increased mental health challenges.
But the problem of food insecurity has been coupled with another oxymoronic problem the State of Oregon is facing — food waste. Between 2016 and 2023 Oregon threw away more than 800,000 tons of food, and within 2023 of Oregonians in Lane County 14.6% reported food insecurity, with childhood hunger in the county reaching 20.2%. How can so many students and community members face food insecurity when over 70% of the discarded food in Oregon could have been eaten?
The Oregon State Public Interest Research Group’s Zero Hunger campaign is working to address rampant food waste and food insecurity on college campuses, aiming to reduce both with a single policy solution. Currently, the proposed policy would require large food producers to divert food they would otherwise trash or burn to food banks when it is safe to eat…